Shedeur Sanders Is the Least of Kevin Stefanski’s Problems as Browns Ignore Obvious Weakness

As Cleveland dove into spring drills, quarterback talk became the caffeine in every locker-room coffee mug. Joe Flacco’s return came with veteran swagger—”He’s coming in already knowing the situation,” guard Joel Bitonio said, praising Flacco’s poise and competitiveness during minicamp. Yet rookies Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel flashed NFL-ready throws, making the QB field more crowded than a playoff chase. Suddenly, quarterbacks aren’t Cleveland’s problem, and neither is whether Shedeur will get an opportunity to start.

It’s what they lack beyond their lone star receiver. The Browns‘ receiving corps is pegged as the real offseason sore spot—Jerry Jeudy shined, but after him? Crickets. Analysts described it as “Jeudy and a bunch of question marks,” which, all things considered, is entirely reasonable. Jeudy arrived in Cleveland via trade and lived up to expectations as a potential No. 1 receiver.

After Deshaun Watson went down and Amari Cooper was traded, Jeudy stepped in and became the reliable target of Jameis Winston. We’re talking 90 receptions, over 1,200 yards, and 15 touchdowns. But it’s the rest of the receiving corps that’s a headache for head coach Kevin Stefanski. The PFF ranked the Browns’ receiving corps second-worst in 2024. And let’s just say that Stefanski and Co. did a bare minimum to upgrade it entering the 2025 offseason.

Cedric Tillman and Jamari Thrash are set to carry a hefty load—no debate there. But the glaring concern is experience. Tillman still hasn’t logged a full NFL season (missed final six games of the 2024 season due to concussion), and Thrash is only stepping into his second year as a pro. They brought Dionte Johnson on a one-year, $1.17 million contract. But then again, we’re talking about a guy who will be playing for his fifth team in two calendar years.

The tight end, David Njoku, on the other hand, is still struggling to get his rhythm after a “freak accident” at his home almost a couple of years back. Which is precisely why the tight end fell from seventh in yards per route run to 25th at his position. Taken all together, the Browns have managed to get a tag of one of the worst receiving units entering the 2025 season.

ESPN slotted the Browns’ wide receiver corps at a dismal 29th out of 32 teams, while Pro Football Focus wasn’t much kinder, handing them a shaky 26th-place ranking. The analysts like Chris Pokorny called the Browns’ WR group “A little bit of certainty mixed with a lot of uncertainty at wide receiver for the Browns.” Safe to say that how Shedeur Sanders’ rookie season or Joe Flacco’s comeback in Berea will turn out isn’t the only concern for Kevin Stefanski and Co.

Shedeur Sanders is turning heads even in the rain

It’s been a couple of months, but it feels like Shedeur Sanders has already run the full gauntlet. From a draft-day prank before his name was even called, to a stunning slide into Day 3 of the NFL draft, and then landing in Cleveland only to be swept into trade rumors, he’s endured all of it before taking a single snap. But the silver lining? He turned heads whenever he got an opportunity. Rookie minicamp, the OTAs, the minicamp, you name it, and Shedeur was there.

Across five practices combined in the minicamp, the former Colorado quarterback completed 41 of 53 passes (77.4% completion rate) and racked up 9 touchdowns with just 1 pick (a deflected ball during a 7-on-7 drill), reportedly the highest among all four Browns quarterbacks. Then came the Fourth of July week. And while you could find plenty of NFL players busy planning the weekend, Shedeur was out there throwing dimes in the rain, showcasing his speed and footwork, which definitely grabbed the attention.

“He should practise in the rain a lot cause there’s bad weather here. – practicing in the rain is good cause you know, you’re going to have rainy, windy, crappy conditions here,” Adam “The Bull” Gerstenhaber said on the Ultimate Cleveland Sports Show. That’s something worth noting. During the regular season matchups, Cleveland faces thunder, lightning, and rain. Practicing in the rain, throwing passes, and working on his footwork in such weather could turn out in his favor. 

But it isn’t just about the preparation. It’s about the way the quarterback is marketing himself. As G-Bush noted and praised Shedeur, “He’s a marketing dude. He finds a way to endear himself to people, which I love that it’s calculated because it takes a lot because you can get some backlash from you putting yourself out there.” But that wasn’t the case for Shedeur. In fact, the 23-year-old quarterback seems to be winning over the Dawg Pound with every snap he takes.

The Browns have a crowded quarterback room, no question. And the wide receiver concerns remain unresolved heading into 2025. But judging by how things are shaping up, it’s clear Kevin Stefanski and his staff still face a complex decision about who ultimately earns the QB1 role.